Escape the Past
Escape the Past is the fifteenth episode of the eighth season of Once Upon a Time, and the 170th episode overall. Plot Past One day in the Enchanted Forest, a little girl named Maude Muffet is told a bedtime story by her mother Claire. Claire explains how she was hired some years ago by the wicked sorceress Cora to act as a spy on her daughter, Regina. Claire states that she did think Regina would become her friend, but, discovering that Cora set it up, Regina turned on Claire, arranging a marriage to the boring Prince Benjamin, Maude’s father, as revenge. Claire makes it clear that one day, she’ll get her own revenge on that dastardly family. As Maude ages into her late teens, she and Claire have relocated to Atlantis, a magical realm far from the Enchanted Forest. Prince Benjamin has died in battle, much to Claire’s delight. She has been raising Maude into a fierce warrior, preparing to journey with her to locate and extract vengeance on Regina. On the day they depart, Claire theorises that Regina will be alone and weak; right where they want her. When Claire and Maude arrive in the Enchanted Forest, it is a year prior to the Dark Curse. They pay a visit to Rumplestiltskin, and he gives them directions to Regina's home for free, without telling them what she has become. They enter her castle late at night, where the Magic Mirror alerts Regina, and the disheveled woman barely gets out of bed when Claire blocks her in her room. Claire and Maude introduce themselves, threatening Regina; however she boldly reveals that it’s “your majesty”. Claire and Maude are shocked to find that their enemy is actually the infamously powerful Evil Queen. Instead of killing them, she does something far worse; separates them. Maude finds herself in the Echoless Forest; a real place thought to be fictional. Maude, after hours of useless attempts to find a way out, sits down on a tuffet for some curds and whey she brought on the trip. However, she is interrupted by Echoless Forest Spiders; giant spiders that consume humans. However, Maude makes it clear that she's no “Little Miss Muffet”, and heroically faces the spiders with her sword. Meanwhile, Claire finds herself elsewhere in the Enchanted Forest. Eventually, she tracks down Jasper Holding, her teenage crush also with a hatred of Regina. However, before she can continue their revenge, Jasper reveals he was planning on leaving to avoid the forthcoming Dark Curse. They retreat to Atlantis. Present As Wish Regina sits her in her palace, she is unexpectedly visited by Claire and Jasper, vengeful. Wish Regina is more annoyed than angry, claiming she has “important work” to do. However, Claire uses a magical item to absorb Wish Regina’s magic, rendering her powerless. Claire demands a swordfight that night to put an end to their “drama”. Meanwhile, in their first step to finding Diaval and Lanval, Sherlock takes Gideon and Roger to Devin’s home. They find a teasing Devin, who prepares to lock them up too, but Sherlock and Gideon are surprisingly saved by Dr. Watson. Gideon comes with the idea to use a Tracking Spell to find his friends. He and Sherlock come to Regina and Zelena for this; however, before anything else can be done, the sisters reveal to Sherlock that they have Princess Ozma under the Sleeping Curse and he can presumably wake her. Sherlock finally and successfully awakens Ozma. After meeting her, the heroes realise that her great power can be beneficial to them for a number of reasons; most prominently to defeat the ominously quiet Carabosse. Later, Ozma reveals she knows exactly where Diaval and Lanval were taken - to the exact same place she was; invisible on Skull Rock. Sure enough, Sherlock, Gideon and Ozma find the boys here. After Diaval’s memories are restored by Ozma, he and Lanval are introduced at Granny's Diner to Alice and Robin by Gideon and Roger; they become fast friends. At the Royal Castle, Regina and Zelena are visited by the former’s Wish counterpart. Wish Regina reveals that Claire and Jasper have come for her, and a swordfight will occur very soon. After inviting Wish Zelena over, the four have a civilised conversation detailing how Carabosse and Caradoc ruined their lives decades ago, and they were actively trying to prevent their freedom. With her out in the world now, there is no time for “petty rivalries”; they need as many people against Carabosse as possible. Regina and Wish Regina head off together to the woods, where they find Claire and Jasper awaiting. Both Reginas apologise, but the confused pair do not accept, with Claire reiterating that Regina ruined her life by separating her from Maude. During the action, Zelena is confronted by Maui, finally revealing his motive; his adopted father was Hades, and he wants revenge on her for killing her. As Maui prepares to kill Zelena, Moana and Wish Zelena come to the rescue. With Moana present, Maui flees, once against at war with himself. Evanora reveals herself, watching from nearby. She claims that she will get her revenge, no matter what. Zelena suggests to Moana that Ozma can help free her from the darkness. Meanwhile, Wish Regina reluctantly engages in a duel with Claire. Jasper confronts Regina, but she claims that she can save Maude and bring her back. The four transport themselves to the Echoless Forest, hidden off from the outside world. After fending off many giant spiders, Regina points out that she and Claire always made a good team. Softer, Claire reunites with her “Little Miss Muffet”, however tells Regina that they have not officially made up. Still, despite their differences, Regina is the reason Maude was born. They agree to stick around in Storybrooke, with Claire secretly revealing to her daughter how she always loved Regina, and now that they’re both in better places maybe the future does look bright for them. On the other hand, Jasper now has nothing to live for, bitterly stating that he gave up painting shortly after his previous encounter with Regina. Wish Regina offers to teach him again, having built up her skills while he lost his. Regina then gets a call from Zelena, confirming that Ozma can indeed revert Moana to normal. Characters (in order of appearance) * Evil Queen (Wish Realm) * Claire Fairchild * Jasper Holding * Maude Muffett (first appearance) * Sherlock Holmes * Gideon * Roger Radcliffe * Devin * Dr. Watson * Evil Queen * Wicked Witch of the West * Princess Ozma * Diaval * Lanval * Rumplestiltskin * Magic Mirror * Alice Jones * Robin Hood, Jr. * Wicked Witch of the West (Wish Realm) * Echoless Forest Spiders * Maui * Moana * Wicked Witch of the East Locations (alphabetical) * Atlantis ** Capital of Atlantis * Enchanted Forest ** Echoless Forest ** Evil Castle's Palace ** Royal Castle * Neverland ** Skull Rock * United Realms ** Evil Castle's Palace (Wish Realm) ** Storybrooke *** Granny's Diner *** Mills Mausoleum Category:Season 8 episodes Category:Once Upon a Time episodes